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Estonian Review 29 April - 5 May 2009
08.05.2009
SPANISH ROYAL COUPLE VISITS ESTONIA
FOREIGN NEWS
DOMESTIC NEWS
DEFENCE NEWS
ECONOMIC NEWS
SPANISH ROYAL COUPLE VISITS ESTONIA
President of the Republic Met With King of Spain
4 May - Today in Kadriorg President Toomas Hendrik Ilves and Evelin Ilves received King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain, who arrived in Estonia on a state visit.
This is a significant visit, because this is the first time Spanish royals are visiting Estonia, President Ilves stressed. The President made a state visit to Spain in July 2007. Relations between our two countries are very good. Estonia and Spain are strong partners in the European Union as well as NATO, where our co-operation is helped by a similarity of views regarding most issues.
I am especially proud to host King Juan Carlos, who has provided immeasurable support for the development of democracy in his home country, the Estonian head of state said. We are both countries that have successfully emerged from authoritarian and totalitarian regimes and have arrived in the European Union, an alliance that is based on common values.
President Ilves thanked King Juan Carlos for Spain's participation in the Baltic Air Policing Mission and support for the activities of the NATO Cyber Defence Centre that has been established in Tallinn.
I am gratified that Spain understands the importance of cyber security as a 21st-century and cross-border issue and that it has joined Estonia and our other allies in the organisation of cyber defence, President Ilves said.
The Estonian head of state and the Spanish king also spoke about the global economic crisis.
One of the most pressing and painful problems, which requires our serious attention and fast solutions, is how to contain increasing unemployment, President Ilves said. It is also important that possible cuts and tax increases, which governments make to stabilise the economic situation and initiate a new recovery, are understandable to the people and thoroughly explained.
The other topics under discussion at the meeting were economic and transport cooperation and close cultural ties between Estonia and Spain, as well as the development of tourism and student exchanges.
The Spanish head of state also met with Ene Ergma, Speaker of the Riigikogu, as well as the parliamentary leadership and chairmen of the political factions. He also met with representatives of the Spanish community in Estonia.
Yesterday evening, President Ilves and Evelin Ilves hosted an official dinner in honour of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain.
King Juan Carlos Introduced to Estonia's e-Government System
5 May - The King of Spain, Juan Carlos, in Estonia for a state visit, visited Stenbock House, where Prime Minister Andrus Ansip introduced the e-government system to His Majesty.
Our bilateral relations are great on the political level; we have great co-operation both in the European Union and NATO, said Prime Minister Ansip when greeting King Juan Carlos. At the meeting, education-related co-operation between the two countries was discussed. It was admitted that the exchange of students between the two countries could be more active. The Lisbon Treaty was also discussed at the meeting. Estonia supports a strong European Union and the Lisbon Treaty would make the Union even stronger, said the head of the government. The prime minister thanked Spain for supporting Estonia in its regaining of independence, but also in its joining of the European Union and NATO. Your support has been very important for us, said Ansip.
In 2005, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip participated in the summit dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Barcelona Process. Spain will hold the Presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2010.
Foreign Minister Paet: Estonia Would Like Top-Level Dialogue With Spain
4 May - When signing the joint declaration for strengthening co-operation between the foreign ministries with his Spanish colleague Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet emphasised that Estonia's goal is to have regular top-level dialogue between the Spanish and Estonian foreign ministries.
During their meeting, the foreign ministers confirmed that relations between the two nations are good. Foreign Minister Urmas Paet thanked Spain for its contribution in creating the Co-operative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence. International co-operation for ensuring cyber security is extremely essential, Paet stressed. I am pleased that Spain supported the creation of the cyber defence centre and continues to contribute to the work of the centre as one of the founding nations, he added. Two experts from Spain currently work in the NATO Cyber Defence Centre in Estonia.
Paet thanked Spain for its readiness to help with the monitoring of Baltic airspace in the name of NATO co-operation. Spain last participated in the Baltic air policing mission in the second half of 2006 and has confirmed that it will do so again in the second half of 2011. According to Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, defence-related co-operation could also extend to training activities at the Baltic Defence College.
Estonia and Spain also co-operate in the area of visa representation. At the beginning of May, the agreement signed by Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos in February of this year came into effect, according to which Spain will begin to represent Estonia for issuing visas in 14 nations: Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
During the meeting, Spanish Foreign Minister Moratinos gave an overview of Spain's plans as the EU presidency in the first half of 2010. Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos also discussed Estonia-Spain cultural and economic co-operation as well as common goals in the European Union and NATO. They also exchanged ideas on overcoming the global economic crisis, ensuring energy security, and battling climate change.
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos met within the framework of the state visit of His Majesty the King of Spain Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia to Estonia.
FOREIGN NEWS
Paet: European Union and Persian Gulf Nations Could Be Part of Common Free Trade Area
30 April - In his speech at the meeting of the foreign ministers of the European Union and the Persian Gulf Co-operation Council (PGCC) in Masqat, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet emphasised that the key to emerging from the global financial crisis stands in improving the effectiveness of international economic co-operation, restoring the trustworthiness of the financial sector, and reducing trade barriers in the world. Setting up barriers in the global economy, especially in free trade, makes emerging from this crisis very complicated in the long run, asserted the foreign minister.
While talking about developments in the economic crisis, Paet emphasised that it is essential to prevent the spread of protectionist economic policies. Instead, we must find new opportunities to resolve the crisis. For example, to expand the free trade area, including between the European Union and Persian Gulf countries, and to integrate developing nations into the world trade system, said Paet. He added that measures taken for overcoming the economic crisis on the level of the European Union and of individual member states must be in harmony with the principles of a functioning internal market and take into account cross-border influences.
Foreign Minister Paet noted that international financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), must possess a bigger role in crisis prevention and create an early warming system based on the monitoring of financial markets. A nation-based approach should replace regional and financial group-based approaches, he added.
The members of the Persian Gulf Co-operation Council are the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. The European Union concluded a co-operation agreement with the foreign ministers of the GCC in 1989, on the basis of which a meeting is held on the ministerial level once a year with the goal of developing trade relations and helping to ensure stability in a strategically important area.
Iraqi Diplomats to Begin Studies in Estonia
3 May - A 10-member group of Iraqi diplomats is arriving in Estonia today so that they may begin their 3-week course at the Estonian School of Diplomacy on Monday, 4 May.
This is a part of Estonia's contribution to the reconstruction of Iraq, emphasises Foreign Minister Urmas Paet. Estonia completed its military contribution in Iraq at the beginning of this year, but we continue to help with the building up of Iraq, said Paet. Three Estonian staff officers continue to serve in Iraq and Estonia is making contributions in the civilian sector, which includes this training in Estonia, he added.
The Iraqi diplomats are studying at the Estonian School of Diplomacy within the framework of a wider training project that includes the foreign ministries of Estonia, Iraq, Kosovo, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Armenia as well as the Ukrainian Diplomatic Academy (UDA). Courses for the state officials and diplomats of the aforementioned nations will take place during 2009. The training projects are organised according to the needs of each project partner. During their training course, the Iraqi diplomats will be given an overview of the formation of Estonian foreign service; they will also address various topics that are important in international relations today.
The project is being funded from the Foreign Ministry's budget for development and humanitarian aid projects.
Paet Met With Colleagues from Oman and United Arab Emirates
29 April - Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and State Minister for External Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman Sayd Badir Al-Busaidi discussed possibilities for intensifying economic relations between Estonia and Oman during their meeting in Masqat.
At the meeting, they acknowledged that the treaty basis with Oman has not been sufficient to further develop economic and business relations up until now. We hope to conclude an agreement for the protection and facilitation of investments and an economic co-operation memorandum with Oman, Paet stated. For the sake of intensifying business ties even further, we would like to name an honorary consul to Oman, he added.
An Estonian business delegation is accompanying the foreign minister on his visit. Foreign Minister Paet said that Oman is of interest to Estonian entrepreneurs in the areas of information technology and communication as well as energy. For Estonia, the issues of energy security and ensured supplies are becoming increasingly important, which is why we are interested in diversifying gas suppliers and finding new providers, said Paet.
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet issued an invitation for his Omani colleague to visit Estonia.
With Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates Anwar Gargash, Paet discussed further development of relations and facilitation of travel for citizens.
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet and the Estonian business delegation also met with representatives of the Omani Chamber of Commerce and Industry, with whom they discussed co-operation opportunities for promoting business relations.
Estonia Improves Its Ranking in World Press Freedom Index
2 May (BNS) - Estonia has further improved its ranking in the world press freedom index published by the New York based think tank Freedom House, rising to shared places 14-17 from positions 16-20 last year.
The freedom of the press index is an annual survey of media independence in 195 countries and territories.
In the report for 2008, released by Freedom House on Saturday, Estonia is tied with Ireland, Jamaica and St. Lucia in places 14-17, with all three given 15 points. A year ago Estonia was in a tie with Germany, Monaco, St. Lucia and Portugal, getting 16 points each.
Iceland topped the fresh table of press freedom with 9 points. Finland and Norway followed in places 2-3 with 10 points, while Denmark and Sweden were next with 11 points each. Places 6-7 were shared by Belgium and Luxembourg with 12 points, followed by Andorra, the Netherlands and Switzerland with 13 points. Liechtenstein, New Zealand and Palau were given 14 points, which placed them in slots 11-13.
With 18 points, Lithuania shared places 24-26, while Latvia was given 23 points and placed as 43-48.
More broadly, Freedom House ranks countries as free, partly free and not free in terms of freedom of the press. The first 70 countries in the table are seen as free.
The freedom of the press index assesses the degree of print, broadcast, and Internet freedom, analysing the events of each calendar year. Country narratives examine the legal environment for the media, political pressures that influence reporting, and economic factors that affect access to information.
Russia placed not far from the bottom in slot 174. Closing the table were Burma and Turkmenistan with 96 points and North Korea with 98.
A month ago Freedom House published its freedom of the net report, a pilot study of 15 countries that analyses the state of Internet freedom, which showed Estonia as sharing the title of country with the most Internet freedom with Brazil, Britain and South Africa.
Estonian and Finnish Foreign Ministers Making Joint Visit to Lebanon and Syria
5 May - Foreign Minister Urmas Paet will be in Lebanon and Syria on a visit from 5-7 May along with his Finnish colleague Alexander Stubb.
Urmas Paet said that the goal of this joint visit by the Estonian and Finnish foreign ministers is to hear the assessments of Middle Eastern nations on the situation in that region and to discuss opportunities for resuming the Middle East peace process. We feel it is very important for the Arab nations to actively participate in the Middle East peace process and try to reach reconciliation in Palestine, stated Paet.
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said that Estonia would like to open up bilateral communication with Middle Eastern countries. During the course of the joint visit, there are meetings scheduled in Lebanon with President Michel Suleiman, Parliament chairman Nabih Berri, and State Minister Nassib Lahoud. In Syria, Paet and Stubb will meet with President Bashar Al-Assad, Prime Minister Muhammed Naji Al-Utri, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah al Dardar, and Foreign Minister Walid al Muallem.
This is the first meeting on the official level between Estonian and Syria as well as Lebanon since diplomatic relations were established. Estonian established diplomatic ties with Lebanon in 2001 and with Syria in 1993.
President of the Republic Accepted Credentials from Ambassadors of Benin and Sri Lanka
30 April - Today in Kadriorg, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves met with the Ambassadors of Benin and Sri Lanka, who presented their credentials to the head of state.
Credentials were presented by Ambassador Claudine Rita Dagnon ép Vignikin of the Republic of Benin, who resides in Copenhagen, and Ambassador Ranjith Pemsiri Jayasooriya of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, who resides in Stockholm.
DOMESTIC NEWS
More Than 11 000 People Take Part in 1st May Brainstorming Event
2 May (BNS) - More than 11 000 people took part in the Minu Eesti (My Estonia) brainstorming endeavor on Friday that saw people all over the country come together for a "thinking bee" to find ways how to make life better and increase social cohesion. Organisers said that the event can be considered a success.
The number of "thinkinghouses" that opened their doors either physically or online was 527. Of the thinkinghouses, 409 were official and 85 gathered on the participants' own initiative. There were also 16 virtual thinkinghouses plus 17 thinkinghouses in 12 foreign countries.
In the end 48% more people gathered to think together than were registered, which is a positive indicator, spokesperson for the endeavour Anneli Ohvril told BNS.
Back in mid-March, organisers said they were expecting Minu Eesti to be joined by 100 000 people and emerge as the biggest civic initiative in Estonia's history.
Registration started on 1 April and lasted until the morning of 1 May. In comparison with the number of residents in different Estonian regions, turnout was highest in Hiiumaa, where the 170 people who took part represent 2% of the island's population. In the southeastern Voru County 516 people or 1.6% of residents took part, whereas in the West-Viru and Laane counties the rate of residents involved in thinkinghouses was 1.4%.
The topics that came up most often were joint activity and collaboration of residents, rural life, enterprise and jobs, culture, education, and lifelong learning, Ohvril said.
"According to house elders, people offered very different ideas and solutions for how they could be carried out. Many of the participants said they had found people thinking in a similar way, with whom it was agreed to meet again already in the near future to go on with the topics opened and carry out concrete things," she added.
The nationwide thinking bee in search of ideas to help make life better in Estonia started at 10 a.m. on Friday. The participants were welcomed by the president in a televised speech.
The initiator of the undertaking was Rainer Nolvak, founder and former co-owner of the IT company Microlink, whose nationwide campaign last spring to clear roadsides and forests of garbage was joined by more than 50 000 people and earned him the title of Citizen of the Year.
DEFENCE NEWS
Estonia and Montenegro Conclude Bilateral Defence Co-operation Agreement
30 April - Minister of Defence Jaak Aaviksoo, on a visit to Montenegro, concluded with his Montenegrin colleague Boro Vucinic a bilateral defence co-operation framework agreement setting out the future directions for co-operation between the two countries.
Minister of Defence Aaviksoo stated after concluding the agreement that Montenegro, like the other countries in the Western Balkans, is entitled to the same kind of security, stability and prosperity enjoyed by the rest of the European countries. Estonia recognises Montenegro's measured and constructive policy, which is important for ensuring both regional and broader stability, Aaviksoo said.
The minister of defence also visited Montenegro's infantry brigade and air force base.
The Estonian Ministry of Defence supports members of Montenegro's Defence Forces studying at the Baltic Defence College and also advises Montenegro on issues of integration in the direction of NATO and the creation of a system of defence attachés matching the needs of a small country.
The minister of defence is accompanied on the visit by Eerik Marmei, Head of the NATO and ESDP Department at the Ministry of Defence, and Lieutenant Colonel Raul Öpik from the Analysis and Strategy Department of the General Staff of the Estonian Defence Forces.
Aaviksoo Invited Croatia to Join NATO Cyber Defence Centre
30 April - Today in Zagreb, Minister of Defence Jaak Aaviksoo met with his Croatian colleague Branko Vukelić and invited Croatia to join the collective NATO Cyber Defence Centre located in Estonia.
At the meeting, Aaviksoo congratulated Croatia on becoming a NATO member. Croatia is a good example of how to overcome instability in a very short time and become a provider of regional stability. Some ten years ago it was Croatia itself that needed the support of foreign peacekeepers. As of today, Croatia itself has become a country that provides security for foreign missions, including to Afghanistan, said the Minister of Defence.
Aaviksoo also expressed his support for Croatian efforts to join the European Union. In Zagreb, the minister of defence also visited an exhibition of the Croatian defence industry, and will meet later today with Croatia's Deputy Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor.
Estonia has so far supported Croatia's NATO integration efforts, primarily through co-operation in terms of the Adriatic-Baltic charter, the objective of which is sharing the NATO integration experience of the Baltic States with the Adriatic countries (Croatia, Macedonia, and Albania).
Minister Aaviksoo's three-day visit to Montenegro and Croatia ends today. It is the first time that the Estonian minister of defence has visited these countries.
ECONOMIC NEWS
Currency Rates in Kroons
(Bank of Estonia)
Eesti Energia to Use Enefit as Brand Name in Other Markets
5 May (BNS) - The state-owned Eesti Energia energy group is adopting Enefit as its brand name on markets outside Estonia.
On the home market the group will continue to use the name Eesti Energia, bringing from 8 May all its subsidiaries with different names and logos under that name, Eesti Energia said.
"The uniqueness and strength of Eesti Energia lies in the integrated value chain, which is created through co-operation between all the companies of Eesti Energia," the group's CEO Sandor Liive said.
Eesti Energia is planning to scrap most of the couple of tens or so sub-brands and logos it is using currently.
With the national energy development plan, the state has set itself the goal to separate Põhivõrk (Main Network), the transmission grid subsidiary of Eesti Energia, from the group in 2010.
Arising from that, Põhivõrk as the administrator of the Estonian power supply system and creator of market conditions will start using a visual identity and business name separate from Eesti Energia.
Tallink's April Passenger Numbers Soar by One Fourth
5 May (BNS) - The listed Estonian shipper Tallink Grupp carried a total of 621 674 passengers during April, which marks an increase of almost 25% compared with the same month in 2008.
Tallink's passenger traffic market shares increased in all of the main routes operated by the group. The passenger volume was positively influenced by the higher cruising activity during the Easter holidays, which last year fell in March, Tallink said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.
The increase in passengers was biggest in the Latvia-Sweden, Estonia-Finland and Finland-Sweden operations.
On the route between Latvia and Sweden the shipper carried 39 452 passengers during the month, 78.8% more than a year ago.
The number of passengers on the Finland-Estonia route grew by 27.7% to 278 396, whereas on the Finland-Sweden route it moved up 24.8% to 238 407.
Passengers travelling between Tallinn and Stockholm numbered 57 722, 3.2% more than in April 2008.
The number of transported cargo vehicles decreased by 33% year on year to 19 389 units. Tallink's ships carried 50.2% more cars than in last April, however. The total number of passenger cars carried was 65 184. Cars carried between Estonia and Finland numbered 41 572, marking an increase of 64.2%, whereas between Estonia and Sweden the number increased by 19.7% to 4 042.
AS Tallink Grupp runs ships on seven different routes under the Tallink and Silja Line brands. The group owns altogether 20 vessels.
Nordea Bank Boosts Q1 Profit by 22 Percent
29 April (BNS) - The net profit of Nordea Pank Eesti was 95.4 million kroons (EUR 6.1 mln) in the first quarter of this year, up by 22% compared with the same period of last year; operating profit soared 27% to 104.8 million kroons.
Assets of the Nordea bank in Estonia swelled by 41% in annual comparison to 48.2 billion kroons, the bank said.
Nordea's loan and leasing portfolio stood at 40.2 billion kroons at the end of March, growing by 8.4 billion kroons or 27% over the year.
Clients' deposits exceeded 12 billion kroons at the end of the first quarter.
CEO of Nordea Eesti Vahur Kraft said the bank has every reason to be satisfied with the quarterly results. At the end of the quarter Nordea Eesti had 102 295 clients, 22 offices and 440 employees throughout Estonia.
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